Following a home invasion gone wrong Frank and Avah Garrett are dead and their son James is in a coma. When James wakes from the coma nine years later he struggles to comprehend exactly what has happened as he has lived a normal life in his "Coma World" as far as he is concerned. As he slowly begins to build up his strength the police become concerned that the men responsible may target James once they know he has woken from his coma.
When I read The Quiet People last year I was gripped by the pace of the story and frightened by the way in which social media was used to manipulate people. Therefore I was keen to read Paul Cleave's next book, The Pain Tourist. This is a very different type of thriller. Not as pacey, more pervasive with a constant air of menace.
As well as the initial crime and the possibility that the criminals may return there is also a copycat serial killer on the lose. Ex-detective Theodore Tate and DI Rebecca Kent end up working together to protect James Garrett, and uncover more crimes on the way. The way in which all of the crimes become interlinked really adds to the thrill of the story-line and you constantly fear for the safety of everyone involved.
The most interesting part of the novel is "Coma World", the life that James Garrett has lived for nine years. Elements of Coma World are as a result of things that are said in real life, things that James has obviously overheard while in his coma. This really does make you wonder about how the brain works, after all we've all seen TV programs where doctors tell people to talk to coma patients.
I love a thriller where it's impossible to guess who is responsible, in The Pain Tourist author Paul Cleave managed to do it not once but twice. I was even questioning if the good guys were actually the bad guys as I didn't have a clue.
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